Having been asked to work her magic, Tatter soon healed Lucius to a reasonable amount, a proper fortitude in which he could function well enough, or at least be expected not to die at the hands of the next stiff breeze that played through the Cathedral...which could get awfully drafty, let's be honest.  Daryl's tower had heating, thanks to the efforts of the Homunculi, but they might all be busy right now with their patrols.  Now, Lucius had been kind of re-introducing himself in the state of a dead man before, but as he addressed Tatter afterwards, he had far more vigor.  Star gave him a smile and clapped him on the back.

[color=a36209]"That's the spirit!  Never say die!"[/color]

[b][i]THUMP![/i][/b] Lucius hit the floor.  It was no more harmful than being shoved to a floor by a [i]normal[/i] person, but he basically fell forwars there due to a more playful action.  The gargoyle looked down sheepishly with an "Umm...oops.", realizing that she really should be more careful there, and not let her enthusiasm get the best of her.  So, all in all, things were going well right now for Star, at least until two other Guardians showed up.  Sagi and Xirphi.  What a pair...  This was like keeping her and Garlock together.  Better that we [i]don't[/i], right?  Well, maybe, maybe not.  Because while the tall monstrosity wanted to immediately bring that huge and impressive axe down on Lucius right off - Star moving to block that by hand with Stone Skin activating - Xirphi was holding him back.  Tatter got up in Sagi's face to argue him down, which was probably going to work well enough because [i]she[/i] was following orders too.  Still, it looked to be necessary to explain that here to Xirphi, and if Star got Xirphi to listen, Xirphi would get Sagi to listen...in case he didn't [i]now[/i].

[color=a36209]"I brought him back because that's part of [i]my[/i] orders.  Lord Volaris said that anyone who compromises us who isn't eliminated has to be taken here to the Cathedral.  Well, I [i]might've[/i] let 'em go if they weren't so close, if Garlock hadn't been standing [i]right there[/i], and if they hadn't all been taking off to the sky at once.  There's an entire [i]people[/i] here who could fly over at any time.  With that stuff going on, I had to prevent anyone leaving.  Garlock helped after, but he was clearly playing around, as usual.  And now, he's decided to go be king, because this guy is the king of Dremoria.  I [i]suppose[/i] that's a useful thing to do, since we can interrogate this one while Gar goes off to rule, but I don't like that cat.  I don't like what he does."[/color]

Sorry, she sort of went off-topic there, but it boils down to her orders being to capture anyone she doesn't kill for information, and this man survived.  So, with that having been done, we now return to that matter, as Tatter addressed her about contacting Volaris.  She got as far as [color=a36209]"Sure, I'd like th-"[/color] before Tatter froze, having received a message from Helena, who was calling for reinforcements.  This was surprising.  Given the relative ease in which the men of Dremoria had folded, you'd think that might be the standard, but guess again.

[color=a36209]"North or East?  Ah, I don't remember who's up there.  Garlock headed the other way, so he's no help.  I can fly there pretty fast.  Don't tell her I'm coming, though!  Mind-Reader!"[/color]

She said this last part as she took a run to leap off into the sky again at high speed...utterly forgetting about Lucius and leaving him to the mercy of whatever creature decided to claim him.  All in all, not a great day for King Lucius.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

King Garlock, however, was feeling fine.  He noted that whatever presence was around him had sent off something to somewhere, potentially for the express purpose of sending information back to base.  If this was what he suspected it was, then there was no real harm in such occurring.  Really, he needed a moment alone with whoever it was in order to properly determine that.  Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be anytime soon that he could expect so, at least not without a kingly demand for everyone to bugger off.  Perhaps that was in order...  He managed to keep those observing him from noticing anything out of the ordinary.  Good.  Garlock behaved as though his strength had returned.  Not perfectly, but reasonably.  He sat up, clenched his fist as though to test its strength, appeared moderately satisfied, and said...

[color=9e0b0f]"It serves, for now.  I will find another if my strength does not persevere alone."[/color]

But it probably would, FYI.  Bwa ha ha ha haaa...  Now, he saw that there was but the slave healer and the captain from before, who informed him that word had been sent to a pair of princes, Desmond and Dante, presumably about developments in the area.  He nodded at this.

[color=9e0b0f]"Good.  Now then, I have orders.  The soldiers in this area will be placed on alert, but hold to the wall, keeping watch for more possible shadow demons.  No one is to be left wandering to be caught unawares.  If there are any others, I want to know it, and I want any that there [i]are[/i] to break their teeth on our fortifications and feel the crushing blow of Dremoria."[/color]

He then gestured to Alskyra.

[color=9e0b0f]"Take him away to be put to use elsewhere.  I wish a moment to myself to contemplate the meaning of the demon's presence in the first place, whether it belonged to anyone or if it was pure happenstance.  When I emerge, I want a fresh sword at my side and a map of the area to determine the point of origin."[/color]

And only AFTER he was to be found alone in the tent, where no one could be heard to be nearby with his cat senses, would Garlock then say...

[color=9e0b0f]"Now that [i]that[/i] is out of the way, would you mind coming out?  I wish to confirm who it is that followed me in.  I think you'll find this [i]very[/i] interesting."[/color]

Even if he didn't know precisely whom it was he was dealing with, he had a fairly good idea.  The nose had been close enough to where the interloper was once he lay down for his heals.  It DID smell familiar to him.  It smelled of one of the Guardians, and of the Cathedral.  Things could get very fun around here...